The disclosures herein relate generally to heat sinks used in a computer chassis and more particularly to a quick connect, quick disconnect retainer for mounting the heat sink in the chassis.
The many electrical components in a computer chassis create a lot of heat which must be removed to keep the system functioning. Many heat removal schemes are used in this environment including fans, heat sinks and combinations thereof. Heat sinks, due to their mass, must be properly supported within the chassis so as to withstand shock and vibration loads.
Heat sinks are often mounted in an abutting relationship with a thermal plate which conducts heat from a heat producing component to the heat sink. Due to the crowded confines of computer chassis and the crowding and stacking of components therein, sufficient support is sometimes difficult to achieve. This problem is compounded by the desirability for non-threaded connectors and supports which provide for the quick attachment and release of components for the purposes of manufacturing and maintenance. Threaded connectors, such as screws, bolts, etc., are undesirable due to the extended time required to attach and remove them and also due to the lack of room available for the manipulation of tools needed to attach and remove such connectors.
One example of a non-threaded connector discloses a spring steel bayonet type retainer for securing encapsulated semiconductor devices to circuit boards either directly or through an intermediate heat dissipator. This device includes spring fingers and bayonet arms. The retainer is installed by urging the bayonet arms through a hole in a mounting tab of the semiconductor device and through the circuit board where barbs on the terminal ends of the bayonet arms lock the arms into the hole. The length of the arms is such that the body portion of the retainer is flexed to compliantly exert a force on the semiconductor device to hold it to the circuit board. This device, however, is not easily removed and is not captive to the device it secures.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and apparatus whereby a resilient retainer can be movably mounted on a heat sink and snapped into and out of engagement with a support on the chassis, for ease of installation and removal of the heat sink during manufacturing and maintenance.